SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reiterated his demand for restoration of statehood to the Union Territory, saying the Centre had so far provided only verbal assurances on the issue.
Speaking to mediapersons in Amritsar, Abdullah said he had no indication of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi might announce on his 76th birthday, but added that restoring JK’s statehood would be a significant step.
“What can I say as to what he does… If nothing else, let him grant us statehood; what else could we want?” Abdullah said.
Abdullah was in Amritsar to inaugurate the renovated heritage building of the Jammu and Kashmir House on Court Road. He also extended birthday greetings to the Prime Minister.
On the statehood issue, the Chief Minister said J&K had been told that statehood would be restored after the Assembly elections, but that assurance had not been given to the Government in writing.
“You all know what happened with us. We were told that statehood would be restored after the J&K elections. But nothing was given in writing; only verbal assurances were given,” he said.
Abdullah said the Centre had outlined a sequence involving delimitation, Assembly elections and restoration of statehood. While delimitation and elections had taken place, he said, the final step had yet to be implemented.
“Even in Parliament and in the Supreme Court, this assurance was given. While we saw delimitation and elections in J&K, in which people participated, statehood has not been restored even till now,” he said.
He also advised leaders in Ladakh to seek written commitments from the Centre on their demands for constitutional safeguards relating to land and employment rather than relying on verbal assurances.
Abdullah cited J&K’s experience while making the appeal, saying the Union Territory had itself received verbal assurances on restoration of statehood.
The Supreme Court, in its December 2023 judgment on the constitutional changes concerning J&K, recorded the Union Government’s assurance that statehood would be restored after elections to the Union Territory’s Legislative Assembly.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were subsequently held in 2024, while the Union Territory continues to retain its existing status.
